Drake StAllen: Predator's Predator
by Darkfangz13
Summary: Sequel of Drake St.Allen: Covert Operatives.    Drake is back and on the run from a Lazarus Pit-crazed assassin/ex-client! Gotham's not safe for him anymore, so where better to hide than with YJ?    Guest appearances of JLA and Bat-Family.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Drake was awake even before his ears could pick up her purposefully, percivable footsteps. He yawned and stretched like a large cat on the couch he had been sleeping on every night since his escape from Happy Harbor. He rolled onto his stomach and blearily blinked his eyes open just as The Woman entered the room. She stopped in the doorway, studying him, observing his movements. It disturbed Drake greatly but he never said anything about it.

"It's not necessary for you to pretend that you just woke up, Drake." Lady Shiva told him, cocking her head to the side. Drake just shrugged his shoulders.

"It's also not necessary for you to stomp around just so you know I know you're in the vicinity." Drake smiled. "It makes me think you're angry. You're more frighting to me when you're angry than if you had been silent and invisible." And again, that evaluating look. "Now that that's over with, what is it? Have your skills been temporarily bought again?"

Lady Shiva understood that Drake didn't mean to sound rude when he said that when his real question was 'Who are we killing this time?' "Pack your bags, Drake, we have a plane to catch." And Drake did just that. He didn't care much for the noise and bustle of Hong Kong anyway.

There was a strange relationship that Drake shared with Lady Shiva, one that Drake didn't even try to begin understanding. He would speak when spoken to, question when Lady Shiva purposefully kept information from him, act when provoked to, and stop when he thought there were more pressing matters. Lady Shiva watched the boy in the seat next to her toss and turn in his seat and try futilely to sleep. She didn't understand him, he was... what was that he called it? 'Just being phantasmagoric', Lady Shiva shook her head. It sounded like a silly word anyway.

She noticed Drake's behavior, she always did. On a good day, he would be lounging about on the couch or on the carpeted floor like a feline, what he did with his time when he wasn't around the master martial artist was a mystery. But on a bad day, he would childishly feign sickness or storm about swearing like a sailor in every known language except English and Chinese. He was amusing sometimes. But, something she always found intriguing about him was his ability to pull himself away from a fight.

Well, it wasn't like Drake abhorred fighting and violence, he enjoyed it, welcomed it, even. He loved a thrilling fight just as much as Lady Shiva did but one part of his mind never let go, the logical part that always told him when he was fighting a losing fight, that sometimes, losing a fight to win a war would do him better in the long run. Shiva just wanted to take that part of his mind into her hands and crush it. She wanted to see it, the Drake St. Allen who could throw himself whole-heartedly into a fight and come out victorious. The Drake that had nothing to lose.

Drake finally gave up on sleep after the first half hour of the flight and nudged Lady Shiva's arm to get her attention. "Do you mind telling me where we're going now?" he asked, Lady Shiva shrugged her shoulders.

"You'll see."

* * *

><p>"Really? The League of Assassins!" Drake tried his best to sound impressed and was failing badly. "I'm... I don't know what do say, Lady Shiva." Lady Shiva smiled at him.<p>

"Don't worry, the fun begins after this pit stop." A man approached Lady Shiva and Drake. He was towering over Drake and intimidated him greatly, although Drake merely shifted from one foot to the other and imagined schooling his expression into a blank slate.

"Lady Shiva!" the man greeted cordially, Lady Shiva returned the favor.

"Ra's al Ghul." Drake tried not to choke on his own spit. "This is my... companion, Drake."

The Demon blinked and Drake could almost hear the gears in his ancient head turn. He did know Batman's identity, after all, didn't he? It was quite obvious that Drake was not, well, Drake... the Tim one. "St. Allen." Drake filled in hurriedly for the man.

Drake had thought Lady Shiva had come to speak to Ra's al Ghul, but her attention was elsewhere. "Have your assassins fallen behind on their training?" she asked darkly, causing Drake to flinch slightly, no more than a twitch.

"Their trainer has been gone for long." Ra's al Ghul replied simply, Lady Shiva leveled a glare at him and stalked off to retrain her students. Drake floundered mentally, should he follow her? What should he...? His train of thought was abruptly cut by Ra's al Ghul turning to him with interest.

"You are Lady Shiva's newest apprentice?" It was more of a statement than a question, Drake shrugged his shoulders. "She doesn't take many apprentices, she usually kills them before deciding whether they have potential, or not." Drake quite honestly didn't know why Ra's al Ghul was telling him these things. It wasn't like Lady Shiva, or him, for that matter, cared.

"She tried to kill me, and I simply did not want to die, Sir." he told Ra's al Ghul curtly.

Ra's al Ghul nodded. "Understandable. Quite, understandable." he hummed, it sounded somehow eerie to Drake. In a way, it was the voice of ages, after all.

"And... to clear things up about us, I'm not her apprentice, per se." Ra's al Ghul raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" Drake nodded.

"We... work alongside each other, in a way. We are both assassins, both mercenaries, both keep a watchful eye on Batman, and both love a good fight. We are simply... using each other." he explained. "Anything that is learned during our fights are just useful bonuses."

"I would have thought Lady Shiva would have demanded your loyalty and attention, or something along those lines by now." Drake shrugged his shoulders with a careless air.

"Lady Shiva trains women as her successors, men are, more often than not, for her entertainment." he explained, Ra's al Ghul nodded understandingly. Drake heard the 'swish' of air being disturbed only a second before throwing himself to the ground. He heard a sharp clang and the offending knife fell to the ground uselessly. Drake pulled himself to his feet and brushed dirt off himself. "You must be Damian." He turned around to say to the boy. Damian just sniffed condescendingly and turned away as if offended that Drake had dodged. Drake decided to ignore him from now on.

"Charming. Anyway, I should be getting to Lady Shiva now." he said, turning his attention back to Ra's al Ghul. "If you will excuse me."

He wandered around for a while before he finally found Lady Shiva. She was just finishing up her training and was toweling a few drops of sweat off her face. "You're looking bored, Drake." she told him, Drake smiled back.

"Really? I thought my acting skills were better than that." Then he heard a commotion, someone was coming. Someone important. He cocked his head and sent a questioning look to Lady Shiva. "Nyssa Raatko?" Shiva just took him by the shoulder and guided him firmly out of the room.

"Just someone of importance." _But nobody of your concern._ Drake pouted a little but let himself be brought away, it wasn't his place to pry. He threw a last glance over his shoulder just in time to catch a glimpse of a dark form with a bat insigna branded into her chest. "Drake, I hereby release you from our contract. You are free to go." Lady Shiva murmured in his ear as she nudged him out of the vicinity and closed the door behind him.

Drake returned to his temporary room where he had left his meager belongings and began calling contacts, making plans. He _had_ promised to meet Batman to relate the League's movements to him. He was no longer working for Lady Shiva, he had no more reason to stay here.

By the time he emerged from the room all of the commotion had died down, in fact, there was not a soul in sight. Drake bit his lip but continued on his way out, then he smelled blood. He stopped dead in his tracks, his instincts dragged his feet to the source of the stench. Then he saw her, Lady Shiva hung limply over the Lazarus Pit suspended by a metal hook through her shoulder. Drake approached her in an almost trance-like state.

He reached out and stroked Lady Shiva's still warm cheek with a reverence. Then his reflexes kicked in again when he smelled an ample amount of fresh blood directly behind him. He spun around 180 degrees, gun in hand, pointing the barrel directly between Batgirl's eyes. It was the first time Drake had met her face-to-face, he wasn't sure if Batgirl even knew who Drake was.

Batgirl's hands fisted tightly but the action was not lost on Drake. "Don't bother." he said curtly, lowering his gun. "You're in no condition to fight with me." He turned back to face Lady Shiva. "Leave." And Batgirl did.

Drake watched blankly as blood flowed from a still fresh wound on Lady Shiva's face. Even in death, she was beautiful, the light from the Lazarus Pit caused bright shadows to dance across her skin. Drake let out a soft sigh. "Such a waste." he murmured before he pushed Lady Shiva's body lightly. The chain suspending her in the air groaned in protest and gave away, sending the warrior hurling into the Pit.

He watched for a few moments as the cuts on Lady Shiva's face closed and healed. He shook his head in amazement as he took a sample from the Pit, sometimes, it was hard to believe some of the things he saw in his line of work.

He cast one final glance at the fallen Lady Shiva and walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"All passengers may remove their seatbelts now. Have a nice day and welcome to Gotham!" A stewardess with a squeak of a voice spoke from the speakers. Drake stretched his arms with a slight moan of relief. He hated flights, flights were boring. Then he remembered the hijacking incident, well, _most_ flights were boring.

He gathered his single backpack and passed the luggage claim without a second glance. He walked out of the airport and looked around for a cab... or a bus. Why was Gotham so hysterical? He sighed. Then a car pulled up on the street beside him and the door on the driver's side opened. An elderly man with silver-grey hair emerged with a kind hand already offering to take his bags... er, bag.

Drake smiled at the man. "I suppose this means I should brace myself for a long afternoon with the Waynes?" Alfred smiled back as he placed Drake's backpack carefully in the trunk.

"Whole day, Master Allen, it is still early morning." Right, time zones. "They are all awaiting your arrival with bated breath." Drake decided not to correct the butler about his name, he reasoned that it would be disorientating to have two Drakes running around in the Manor and Drake certainly was no saint. Yes, Allen it was. He scooted into the car's back seat.

"'All'?" Drake inquired as the car pulled off the curb, Alfred nodded with a smile.

"Master Dick and Barbara Gordon, the woman you know better as 'Oracle' are at the Manor." Drake's eyes widened like a child's on Christmas morning.

"Oracle? In the flesh?" He felt the need for confirmation and Alfred was more than willing to give it to him.

"She insisted on meeting you, she's been looking forward to this day for a while." A soft white glow danced into Drake's peripheral vision. Snow.

Drake turned to look out of the car window thoughtfully. "You know Alfred, I always find myself in Gotham in the Winter," _But I never stay for Christmas._ "Why do you think that is?" he asked, turning to look at Alfred through the rear view mirror.

Alfred had a thoughtful look on his face, and what was that? Remorse? Drake cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Nevermind, don't answer that. Just me talking to myself." He chuckled a little, humorlessly, and returned to staring out of the window. "I wonder if it will snow alot again..."

* * *

><p>She was burning, or was she drowning? She choked and watched several small bubbles the size of marbles chase each other upward and disappear. Her lungs ached and fire flowed through her veins. She kicked her legs as powerfully as she could, reaching up until her head broke above the surface. She gasped and floundered to the bank of the Pit before collapsing onto the ground, choking. She was... alive? She desperately swallowed down a sob. She wasn't suppose to survive! She wanted to die! Die by Cassandra Cain's hand! Who threw her in the Pit? She wracked her memory. She saw, she remembered! It was Drake! <em>Unforgivable...!<em>

"I'll kill him!" she screamed, her voice was ragged and torn and the stress of the action burned her lungs. But she didn't care. She needed to find Drake. They needed to end things... permanently. One of them had to die. She flexed her fingers and dug deeply into the ground, pushing herself forward, inch by inch. "I'll kill him! I'll kill him!" she chanted venomously. "I swear... !"

* * *

><p>"IIIIII'm, dreeeeaming of a Whiiiiite Christmas!" Bing Crosby's voice crooned sweet and mellow from the car's radio, rousing Drake from what short, fitful nap he had managed to snag while Alfred drove.<p>

It took him a moment to remember where he was and why his seat swayed and bounced at times. He jerked with a slight gasp, taking in every detail of his surroundings before relaxing again, burying the heels of his hands into his eyes tiredly. "Ugh... God!" he groaned, almost blushing at his own jumpiness. "How long was I asleep, Alfred?"

Alfred checked the time. "Fifteen minutes, Master Allen." Was the crisp and calm reply.

"Fifteen minutes..." Drake had not slept on either flights, had not gotten a chance to rest with the League of Assassins, and he was always busy with Batman's assignment as well as spying on Lady Shiva's assassinations so the only time he could relax enough to sleep was when he and Lady Shiva had both retired for the night in between jobs... but when does Lady Shiva ever stay still that long? The fatigue must be catching up with him and in these instances, coffee just wouldn't save him.

Alfred seemed to have noticed Drake's fatigue and was slowly working himself up to a full blown case of concern. "Have you slept at all, Sir?" he asked worriedly, Drake was silent, then he blinked and looked at the butler.

"Sorry, what?" Alfred frowned in disapproval.

"You are dozing on your feet, Master Allen, you would do good to find a bed sometimes." Drake chuckled sleepily.

"Just chalk it up to jet-lag." he murmured before leaning his head against the window and closing his eyes. "And bad dreams." He slowly slipped into unconsciousness again.

* * *

><p><em>"Dude! You promised you'd be over to celebrate Christmas with us!" <em>Tim sighed into his cellphone.

"I know! I know, Kon! And I'm sorry! Just postpone the YJ Christmas party to tomorrow. It's pretty hectic over here right now!" he practically begged.

Bruce had asked, no, _ordered_ him to keep Drake's visit a secret from the team. If they knew Drake was coming back, he was sure they'd have mixed responses, something that neither Bruce, nor Batman wanted, or had the patience to deal with. Especially at Christmas when he had to deal with the parties every weekend as playboy Bruce Wayne, along with Superman badgering him to join them for... you guessed it, _another_ Christmas party with the Justice League! He didn't care if people constantly teased him about being a Grinch, he hated Christmas!

_"Alright, fine! Just let me know when's a good time."_ Tim sighed in relief.

"Thanks Kon," he said gratefully, "call you back later?" Tim moved to his window and brushed the curtains aside just in time to see Alfred and Drake pull up by the front door. "See you later, then." Tim hung up and dashed downstairs to where Dick and Barbara were busy making cookies.

Tim jokingly picked up a salt shaker from the condiments tray and held it up to his mouth like a walkie-talkie. "Alpha one, we have the suspect in our sights now!"

Dick raised an eyebrow in surprise, grinned and grabbed the pepper. "Alpha one, what's your status?" Then he promptly sneezed from pepper inhalation.

Barbara shook her head and chuckled but took the basil Dick offered her anyway. "Alpha two, I'm in position." Although none of them knew exactly what position that was. They played along.

_"Alpha two, go ahead." _Dick plugged his nose to keep himself from sneezing, resulting in a nasaly-voiced commander. Both commanders of his troops snickered.

"God, Dick! You sound like that waitress-lady in Emperor's New Groove!" Barbara giggled hysterically.

"Um, sorry to interrupt your fun and games but Alfred, here, looks just about ready to scold a few someones for playing with condiments." The three rioters spun around to see Drake and Alfred standing by the kitchen door. And it was true, Alfred was giving them 'The Look'. The three meekly put their 'walkie-talkies' back where they found them.

"Um, I-uh." Dick floundered, Tim jumped at Drake.

"Drake! Quick, come with me! I want to show you something cool!" He took Drake by the arm and bodily dragged him outside the butler's verbal blast radius.

"S-'something cool'?" Drake asked, taken momentarily by surprise by the sudden attack.

Tim grinned. "How about a few front-row seats to Dick getting his verbal ass whipped?" Drake laughed.

"Wouldn't miss it." And yes, they watched the drama from the shadows.

"And the well-trained, urban myth succumbs to the humble butler!" Bruce grinned maliciously over the two boy's shoulders, causing them to jump in surprise. "Alfred, I found a few stragglers!" Alfred just smiled and nodded in approval.

"Remind me again, who is the Lord of the House?" Drake asked humourously to nobody in particular.

"Uh, that'll be Alfred." Dick replied amusedly. Bruce just rolled his eyes at them with a wry grin. Someone was going to pay for the quip.

"Boys, behave!" Barbara admonished and Tim just snickered at them. Drake smiled, who knew the Bat Family had this side to them?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"So, how was your investigations?" Bruce asked after everybody had calmed down and Alfred had taken Dick, Tim, and Barbara out for lunch. He was currently leading Drake into the Batcave for more privacy and concentration.

Drake realized he was only half-listening to the detective and berated himself. "Um, good?" he murmured, unsure of himself. Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"'Good'?" he sounded like he was asking if Drake wasn't sure his assignment went so well.

"No...! I mean...! Good." Drake repeated firmly. Bruce watched him silently for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction.

"Good." Drake had to wonder how so many 'Good's could fit into one conversation... with Batman of all people! He shuffled around in his backpack to find his USB flash drive.

"Everything you asked for." he said, handing the gadget over to his employer.

Bruce took it and moved to the Batcomputer to check the files. "League status?" Drake didn't have to ask to know which 'League' Bruce spoke of.

"I think you'd have a better grasp of the situation if you asked Batgirl." Drake replied honestly. Bruce looked at him, then turned back to his newly acquired data.

"Oh." Bruce's reply was soft, not his usual brusque manner.

The two were silent for a few minutes before Drake shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Bruce noted the nervous move but said nothing. Drake cleared his throat softly, but the new information was still more interesting. Finally Drake cracked. "How is the team?"

Bruce finally looked away from the computer screen to look at him. "What team?" Drake shifted his weight again.

"Robin's team... Young Justice, or something." Drake broke eye contact. _Oh._ Bruce coughed uncomfortably.

"Everyone has they're own way of dealing with... situations." _Betrayals._ Drake sighed inwardly and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

"I guess I'm just sorry, a little." he said sheepishly. "I'll have to apologize to them properly if I ever see them again, huh?" Bruce turned back to the Batcomputer.

"Do you always apologize to people who you've wronged?" It was meant to be a rhetorical question, but Drake decided to answer anyway.

"I don't always 'wrong' teenagers." It was just Drake clarifying a small detail, it shouldn't disturb Bruce that much. By the look on Drake's face, it seemed like his mind had already moved onto a different subject. "Anyway, I'll be leaving Gotham in a few days..."

Bruce knew the mercenary was about to say that he needed to go and book a hotel room. He held up his hand. "You may stay here if it's no inconvenience." he told the boy, it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on him, he didn't want to have to deal with the Joker getting out of Arkham again because of him. Keep his friends close and his enemies closer, wasn't it? Only, Bruce wasn't quite sure which category Drake fell under yet.

Drake just nodded. "I'll take you up on that offer then. Thank you." He was silent for a moment, staring at the back of Bruce's head. "Is there something I could do for you while I'm here?" An odd job to pass the time. Bruce thought about it for a moment.

Drake needed an assignment that could occupy him until he had to leave. "Alright, you can help Nightwing on his case, there's a new drug cartel that recently relocated to Gotham from Bludhaven..."

Nightwing landed gracefully on a rooftop within sights of the drug cartel's meth lab. He heard the sound of an engine just as Drake's motorbike rolled to a stop on the street below. Nightwing raised an eyebrow. "Hey, kid, do you have a license for that?" he asked almost curiously.

Drake rolled his eyes. "Do you have a legal license to operate aerial vehicles?" Answer a question with a question, Nightwing grinned.

"Point." Drake climbed up the building's fire escape to join Nightwing on the roof. "Where'd you get the motorbike from anyway?" Drake shrugged his shoulders.

"I had a friend of mine drop it off at my safehouse after finding out that I'd have to visit Gotham frequently if I wanted to work for Batman." Nightwing raised an eyebrow.

"You set up a safehouse in Gotham without Batman's knowing?" he asked incredulously. "I hope you're not storing anything too illegal in there or he'd throw a tantrum." Drake snorted.

"Don't worry, just the necessities. Food, clothes, medical kit, spare bedding, fake IDs, communication devices, modes of transportation, and I'll come clean, I have two Glocks and a semi-automatic rifle." he counted off his fingers. Then he spared a glance at the meth lab. "Hey, shouldn't we be down there stirring up Hell, or something?" he asked, Nightwing shook his head in amusement.

"Yeah, we should get to work."

* * *

><p>Lady Shiva shrugged out of her dirty and torn clothes before stepping into her bath. She brushed a hand over her shoulder where the injury from her and Batgirl's fight should've been. She only felt smooth skin. She rubbed lower to her arm where Drake had once clipped her with a knife. That was also gone. She frowned. It wasn't everyday that a mere child could get the better of her, she had wanted to at least be able to keep evidence of that.<p>

She sat in the tub, soaking in the hot, almost scalding water. The very thought of fighting Drake was enough to make her blood boil. She reached out of the tub where she had a laptop situated on the closed toilet seat. She ran a search on several of Drake's aliases. She leaned back in the tub and relaxed. Drake was hard to find if one wasn't sure what to look for.

The laptop beeped cheerfully, signaling a hit on one of her searches. She shot a glance at the machine and smiled. Drake had taken a flight into Gotham the same day he had cheated her out of her death. She booked a flight for the next day. Drake wouldn't stay in one place for too long.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Drake stared, he stared blatantly, thank God Nightwing was too immersed in explaining the situation to the GCPD to notice. Drake shot a glance at Nightwing to see if he had seen what he had seen. Satisfied to see that his companion was now playfully flirting with Detective Montoya, he snuck off into the shadows. "Red Hood, never thought I'd see you again." he greeted the anti-hero.

"Never thought you'd be one for working with the Bats." Red Hood shot back. "Allen Smitheson... or is it, Drake St. Allen?" he said almost smugly. Drake just shrugged his shoulders.

"It's Allen, all the same. What are you doing here?" Red Hood shrugged his shoulders.

"Same as you, looks like you beat me to it." They both heard a noise and saw Nightwing jumping across rooftops, head swiveling every few steps in search for his lost companion. Then the vigilante came to the conclusion that Drake had already left the scene in order to avoid the cops and made off in the direction of the Batcave.

"_He_ beat you to it." Drake corrected as soon as Nightwing disappeared from sight. "I was only assigned to help out with the raid and arrests." Red Hood shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever." he said carelessly and began walking away. "Big difference." he murmured sulkily and disappeared.

* * *

><p>"And this is the teleportation device that beams Batman up into this... space satellite that the Justice League of America use for their base of operations?" Drake asked after they had returned to the Batcave, still not quite coming to terms with how much more advanced Batman's technology was. "You say this is... technology from... Mars?" Nightwing, who was explaining to him about the technology in the cave, nodded soberly.<p>

"It's alot to swallow, I know." Drake raised an eyebrow.

"Sometimes, it's hard to tell whether you're joking, or being serious." Nightwing feigned hurt.

"I'm not lying! See, I can show you proof!" He typed a string of code into the Batcomputer, then stopped. "But then again, Batman would kill me for playing with the teleporter for no reason." Then, Barbara called for Dick from upstairs.

Dick pulled off his mask. "Ah, I'd better go, then!" And he dashed off, forgetting about the teleporter.

Drake smiled and sat in the computer chair, it was large and the back was tall, it made him feel very small. He closed his eyes and relaxed. A gentle feel of moving air, the smell of a woman, and Drake was throwing himself forward out of the chair just in time to hear a sharp 'crack'. He rolled with his fall and landed on his feet, crouched like a feline. He narrowed his eyes. A sword's end was sticking through the back of the chair where he had been leaning previously. He felt a searing pain in his left shoulder, so he hadn't fully dodged the blow.

Lady Shiva stood there silently as she pulled her sword out of the chair, she looked a little impressed. "You avoided my attack well." she complimented him with a smile.

"Did you think I'd just sit back and let you kill me?" Drake retorted, gritting his teeth against the pain. Lady Shiva shrugged her shoulders and moved around for another attack.

This time, Drake's arm fell victim to the assassin's blows. Drake screamed in pain when he felt the sword cut flesh and touch bone, he scrambled backward. At least the limb was still attached to his torso. Lady Shiva smiled triumphantly. She was the victor of this fight. She moved to claim Drake's life.

She grabbed him by his shirt collar and kicked him swiftly in the ribs and heard a satisfying 'crack' of bone breaking. Drake gasped and choked out a scream, a rib punctured a lung that was quickly filling with blood. He staggered backwards, clutching whatever he could to keep from falling. His hand hit the Batcomputer and he gasped in pain again. He faintly registered loosing balance and pitching backward into the teleportation tube in the Batcave a moment before Lady Shiva lunged forward and buried her sword hilt-deep into his chest.

Drake felt blood rushing from his head, he felt cold. His only surprise was that he wasn't in pain. Maybe it was because his brain wasn't working properly enough to register how much this should hurt. He slumped back against the tube wall and choked on blood that was gathering in his throat. He blinked slowly as his vision swam. He saw Lady Shiva look vaguely in the direction of the Batcave's elevator and flee. Maybe Dick had heard him scream. Drake's knees buckled and he slid down to lay helplessly on the floor. He felt like he was lying in thick, warm honey. He registered Dick's face, expression horrified before everything blurred again and he felt light-headed.

Then he found himself in an identical tube with a strangely unbloodied flooring, in a large, bright room. Who knew? Nightwing was telling the truth about the teleportation tube!He heard surprised shouts and many footsteps running toward him before he slipped away into unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Drake moaned and tried to swallow around the tube that was stuck in his throat. He felt warm, numb, and he tasted the bad aftertaste of sedatives. He had to struggle to slide his eyelids open. The first thing he saw was Batman standing over him. Drake almost laughed at the feeling of deja vu. He raised his right hand and pulled the oxygen mask off his face. "Argh, it's never a good thing to wake up and find you looming over me, is it?" he slurred with a smile.

Batman just watched him soberly. "You're all about trouble, arn't you?" he asked with a sigh of exasperation.

Drake looked around at the pristine metal walls of the infirmary. Okay, _not_ the Batcave. "Where...?" Batman saw Drake's eyes wander with a growing aimlessness, but he needed his concentration here now.

"Do you know where we are? Try to remember." he encouraged the injured boy. Drake swallowed and blinked back at him blearily.

"Nightwing was showing me the... I think he called it the 'teleportation tube'." he snorted. "He said it teleports people on Earth to some kind of satellite in space. Is it true?"

Batman ignored the question. "And what happened after that?" Drake furrowed his brow and thought earnestly.

"I remember... she was there." he murmured, Batman leaned in closer.

"Who was there?" Drake tightened his jaw.

"Lady Shiva." Batman frowned, the last he had heard, Drake was working for the martial artist. "She tried to kill me." Now Batman was more curious to know how Drake had survived the world's most lethal assassin. But there were more pressing matters to be taken care of.

"Why?" he demanded, Drake was silent for a moment.

"She wanted to die, and I didn't let her." Batman moved a chair up beside the bed, deciding that he would be here for a while.

"Explain." Drake swallowed again.

"Could I get some water first?" Batman poured him a cup and kindly fed it to Drake through a plastic straw.

"Who was trying to kill Lady Shiva?" he asked.

"Her... the she-Bat." Drake had to scour his memory for a name. "Cass- um, Batgirl." Batman remembered their previous conversation from the other day.

_"League status?" Drake didn't have to ask to know which 'League' Bruce spoke of._

_"I think you'd have a better grasp of the situation if you asked Batgirl."_

"And what happened?" Drake frowned a little.

"She is skilled, she beat Lady Shiva, you must be proud of her." he mumbled. "Lady Shiva died from her wounds and Batgirl was going to drop her into the Pit. I was the one who gave her the last push." he sighed. "She must've revived alot quicker than I thought, to see me leaving." Drake blew out a breath of air, seemingly exhausted from his explaining.

"How did Lady Shiva find the Batcave?" Batman questioned, Drake shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know, I suppose she followed me to Gotham." Batman narrowed his eyes.

"She doesn't know Batman's identity, nor the whereabouts of the Batcave." Drake sighed in exasperation.

"Well, obviously, she knows someone who does." he spat, clearly irked. "Like the Ghuls, maybe."

"One last question..." Batman held up a see-through plastic bag enveloping a few shards of glass in Drake's view. "...What is this?" Drake squinted at the object, then realization washed over him.

"The sample from the Lazarus Pit... it must've broken during Lady Shiva's attack." Batman nodded, satisfied at his reply.

"It saved your life, if it wern't for this you would've been dead by now." Batman put the bag away. "Does Lady Shiva know you had this?" Drake shook his head.

"I don't think so, but I can't be entirely sure." Then Drake realized what Batman was hoping for. "You think she thinks I'm dead?" Batman nodded.

"I hope she does. The wounds she inflicted on you were made to kill."

Drake ran his hand over his torso, feeling thick bandages under the white sheets. The sample of the Pit wasn't enough to heal him completely, but it was enough to bring the damage to near minimal. He touched his bandaged arm. "How's this?" he asked. Batman frowned.

"It'll take a while to heal, but the bone wasn't broken and the cut was clean."

"As expected from the world's greatest assassin." Drake's eyes suddenly felt heavy and they fluttered closed. "So, where are we...?" he slurred and fell asleep. Batman patted his arm comfortingly.

"We're in the Justice League Satellite Watchtower."

* * *

><p>"Uh," Green Lantern looked over to where Superman was watching live video feed of the situation in the satellite infirmary. "Is anybody going to ask why there's a kid in here... and why the Hell is Batman, of all people, talking to him!"<p>

Martian Manhunter passed a glance over the people in the room and shook his head. "Apparently, the thought hasn't occurred to anybody yet." he murmured. "And to reply to your question as to why Batman is the one speaking to him is simply because the boy knows him and works for him." Wonder Woman raised a delicate eyebrow at the Martian.

"What do you mean?" Manhunter shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not too sure myself, I've only met him briefly and haven't fully been clued in to the situation." Hal jumped at him.

"But you _do_ know a little about him?" Manhunter sighed.

"I prefer to have Batman explain, Green Lantern." he told the hero patiently.

_"Explain what?"_ Batman demanded through the comm link, all the heroes in the room jumped.

"Er..." Nobody could correctly guess who it was who was guilty of making the strangled noise while Batman was giving them the 'Commander' tone. Batman narrowed his eyes, mentally eliminating those who were less than likely of guilt.

_"Hal Jordan. Oliver Queen. Do you have something you would like to share with the rest of the team?" _Superman smiled to himself when he saw the two guilty heroes flinch.

"How _does_ he do that? Superman, are you _sure_ he doesn't have any meta-human powers?" Green Arrow asked, eyes wide.

"So, who's the kid?" Hal asked Batman, overcoming his initial shock. Everybody heard the annoyed sigh.

_"Just wait, I'll be right up."_ And, true to his word, Batman arrived in the monitor womb not a minute later.

Flash also arrived on Batman's heels just as the Dark Knight was about to explain. "Heeeeyyy! What'sallthecommotionabout?" he demanded childishly, then he saw the footage of the infirmary. "Ooohhh! It'sDrake! What'sDrakedoinghere?" Hal and Oliver stared at the speedster.

"What, you know him too!" Green Arrow shouted indignantly. "How come I wasn't informed?"

Flash smiled innocently and kindly slowed down his sentences when speaking to the archer. "I heard about him from Batman, Superman, and Impulse! I've briefly met Drake once, too!" Manhunter raised his hand.

"I also." he confessed, Green Lantern shot a look at Superman.

Superman sighed. "Alright, I shared an airplane aisle out of Gotham with him." Green Arrow threw his hands up.

"Has everybody _but_ Hal and I met him!" Batman smirked at him.

"Drake is a skilled covert operative." Oliver gaped openly.

"I _have_ met him? Are you serious!" Batman shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't say that."

"But you hinted it! When was it?"

"That's classified information." Superman and Wonder Woman just rolled their eyes and let Batman have his fun at Oliver's expense.

"Alright, Bruce, we're all dying to know about your mystery 'Covert Operative'. Mind explaining?" Black Canary asked when her curiosity couldn't wait any longer.

Batman nodded and began explaining. "He is only known as Drake St. Allen, he's an internationally known mercenary. He's one of the few human mercenaries that are willing to stick their necks into meta-human business, and that makes him invaluable to his clients. I hired him as an informant to keep track of his clients and inform me of any potential hostiles."

Flash raised his hand like a school boy in class. "And, why was he at Happy Harbor?" Now even Superman had to stare at Batman for an explanation. "Because, isn't that a little dangerous?"

Now, Manhunter stepped in to defend Batman. "Batman had brought me into contact with Drake and I had felt that he carried no ill will toward Young Justice."

"So, what happened that made Superboy so angry at him?" Was Superman's first question since the interrogation started.

"Unbeknownst to me, Drake had been hired previously by Lady Shiva to test Young Justice's skills." Batman explained as briefly as he could. "Drake hadn't hurt Young Justice much, but they were slightly shaken."

"And, what makes you think that Drake isn't _here_ under Lady Shiva's orders?" Wonder Woman asked. "For all we know, Drake could be beginning his infiltration now." She shot a glance at the security footages of the sleeping boy.

"He _isn't_ here under Lady Shiva's orders." Batman retorted. "Who do you think is responsible for his injuries?" he pointed out. "Lady Shiva wanted him dead, she most likely thinks he _is_ dead but Drake's life may still be in danger."

The whole roomful of heroes let out a collective sigh. "So, what should we do about him?" Hal asked.

Batman considered his options and made a sound decision. "Drake should lay low in Happy Harbor for the time being." The rest of the room stared at him. "It may well be a bad idea, but it's the lesser of two evils."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Wow, Robin, you did say that things were hectic in Gotham, but why is the rest of the JLA here too?" Superboy asked quizzically. "Did something happen? Is it some kind of global crisis?"

"Uh, yes, something happened. And no. No saving the world before Christmas." Robin replied brusquely as he pushed Superboy aside to make space for a stretcher to get through the door.

"What happened? What's all the commotion about?" Wonder Girl asked, seeing the stretcher. Then she saw the occupant. "What's Drake doing here!" she demanded.

"We'll explain the situation, here." Wonder Woman told Batman. Batman nodded and accompanied Drake to the infirmary in the cave.

Batman was correct in his assumptions, as always. There were mixed responses among the team of young heroes. Impulse was ecstatic to have Drake back, he was almost vibrating in his excitement. Wonder Girl was unsure of the predicament, at best. And Superboy was clearly antagonistic about the JLA's decision. And Robin's ever-logical opinion was divided.

"Sure, Drake is easily bought over, and, it's part of his job description, I get it." he had said. "But it's not us I'm worried about." Every eye was instantly turned to Superboy's opening and clenching fists.

"We're not asking you two accept Drake into the team, or anything, he just needs to lie low for a while." Superman tried to bargain.

"Why is he lying low?" Wonder Girl had to ask. "Is he in some kind of danger?"

"His life is being targeted by one of the greatest assassins in the world." Batman replied. "I don't think it would be wise for him to face her up a second time in the state he is now."

"Why is Drake being targeted by Lady Shiva? Wasn't he working for her when he first met Young Justice?" Robin questioned curiously. The rest of his team tensed visibly at the mention of the assassin behind Drake's assault.

"Yes, he was. But his contract was absolved."

"How long does he have to be here?" Superboy demanded sourly, everybody already knew that what Batman said was law. And Batman said that Drake would stay.

"Until the effects of the Lazarus Pit wears off Lady Shiva, or if she finds another target." Batman told them with a note of finality before he walked away. The rest of JLA shot the rest of them sympathetic glances.

"We'll come and visit sometimes." Wonder Woman promised and was quickly supported by Green Arrow, although the latter would come more to feed his curiosity than for any other reason.

"Wow... okay." Robin sighed. "_So_ not what I had planned for Christmas."

Wonder Girl looked at him. "Postpone again?"

* * *

><p>When Drake opened his eyes to see Impulse staring down at him curiously, he froze, eyes opened wide, having a minor panic. "Oh..." was all he could get past his lips.<p>

"Hello!" Impulse smiled, obviously warned to speak slowly and not to ramble for the injured and slightly disorientated visitor.

"Uh, hey Impulse." Drake rasped with a wince, was that really his voice? "Sorry, is Robin around?" Impulse nodded and zipped off.

Robin entered the isolated room a minute later to find Drake sipping a cup of water, he looked somber. Drake frowned. "Is the situation that bad?" he asked tentatively.

"It's tolerable, I guess. Superboy and Wonder Girl arn't enthusiastic to have you back." Drake sighed.

"Understandable." He tested the limitations of his battered body and decided that he was well enough to sit up, at the very least. "How long am I going to be here for?" Robin shrugged his shoulders.

"That depends mostly on Lady Shiva." Drake nodded in understanding. "And partially on you." Robin added.

"You're contemplating the option of me disappearing, do you _really _think I can outrun Lady Shiva?" Robin sighed.

"It's just an option." Drake pursed his lips, deep in thought, contemplating the option, planning, calculating.

"I could do it." Robin blinked at him. "I could... disappear."

"Believe me, it's not as easy as people make it out to be." he warned, Drake smiled at him.

"My guardian disappears on a daily basis, Robin. Not even I could track him down. I learned from the best." Drake winced as he tried to move his injured arm. "I could be gone by the end of the week." Robin shook his head.

"Don't do anything stupid." Drake snorted.

"Could you stop me? Do you want to stop me?" Robin was silent at that. "I get it, Batman can find good uses for me, but Young Justice doesn't want me around, the Justice League doesn't trust me, and I'm putting you in an awkward position. I can disappear, it's the easiest solution for the both of us."

Robin thought about it. "Where are you going? And what's your plan?" Drake chuckled at him a little in a way that wasn't meant to be rude.

"I can't disappear if you know where I'll be going." Robin looked reproachful.

"You're thinking of doing something crazy, arn't you?" Drake shrugged his shoulders with a blank look. "You're not planning on... dying... are you?" And suddenly the bleached floor was becoming more and more interesting to Drake. "Oh, God... you were, wern't you?" Robin was horrified.

"Like you said, Robin... it's just an option." Superboy burst into the room at that moment, looking flustered and for the world like he had just broken several sound barriers to get to them at the speed he did.

"That's such a stupid solution!" he blurted out. "You know, for a smart person, that's really dumb!" Drake and Robin took a moment to stare at the sudden intrusion. "A-and, I really didn't mean to eavesdrop, I just..!" Drake laughed at Superboy's sudden defensiveness.

"Your super hearing, it's a gift and a curse, yes?" Robin nodded with a smile.

"Yeah... let's just leave it at that." Superboy couldn't have agreed more.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Drake typed boredly on a laptop that Robin was kind enough to supply him with. Of course, everyone was more than a little wary when Drake had requested time to check his e-mails, but Drake had been insistent. He was not a prisoner... at least, not entirely. Red Tornado had been assigned to keep careful watch on the mercenary and was surprised at the content of Drake's inbox.

Drake was clearly married to his work. There were 25 unread e-mails, all containing job offers. Not one personal message. "'Please fix my problems for me.' 'Please kill this guy, I really want him dead.'" Drake read aloud, making his boredom clear as he deleted several messages in quick succession. "Lovely job I have, don't you think?" Red Tornado was unsure of what to say.

Drake decided to take Red Tornado's silence as an invitation to continue. "I mean, it's not like I'm complaining! I get interesting jobs too. Sometimes I even get to work with the police!" He smiled grimly. "Precious few times, though. Understandable."

Drake's rambling was cut short by an incoming e-mail. Drake clicked it and ran his eyes over the one line of digits. Red Tornado observed as the expressions on Drake's face varied from confusion, curiosity, and then to horror. The mercenary jumped up, startling him. "Shit!" Drake turned to Red Tornado, eyes wide in panic. "Call Batman, tell him I'm leaving Happy Harbor and that I'm on my way to Gotham."

Drake shrugged on his jacket, ignoring Red Tornado's protests and walked out of the infirmary just in time to crash face first into Superboy and Wonder Girl. "What's going on?" Wonder Girl demanded warily.

"An emergency came up. I need to get to Gotham immediately." Drake murmured, pushing past them.

"You're going nowhere in that condition!" Superboy grabbed Drake's shoulder, turning him around.

Drake moved both arms and twisted his torso. "Look! Full range body movement! I'm fine, Superboy." He turned on his heel and began walking away again.

"What's in Gotham that the Bat's can't handle?" Superboy called out after him, following quickly after the mercenary.

Drake stopped in his tracks, spun around to face the three heroes and placed both hands on his hips. "Digging up Kryptonite for Lex Luthor is just a job. Traveling with, and occasionally fighting with Lady Shiva? That's fun. Being exploded, breaking several bones, bleeding to death, buried underground in Gotham's sewers? That's just an annoying setback. This? This is a bloody emergency!" He exploded. Making his point clear, he turned and jogged the rest of the way to the debriefing room where he knew Robin would be.

"What's going on?" Robin asked when Drake stalked in.

"Drake said it's an emergency." Red Tornado piped up, moving into the room and bringing Drake's laptop. "Something about this message informed him of that." Robin ran his eyes over the line of numbers.

"What does this mean?" Robin asked Drake. Everybody knew that Robin would be able to decode the encryption easily, but if Drake was talking about a serious emergency, they'd probably need all the time they could get.

"It's a sort of code I use often with people I'm... associated with occasionally. The numbers stand for a letter in the alphabet, 1 would indicate 'a', 2 would indicate 'b' and so forth, just... backward." Drake explained. "This code is usually short and used only to tell the receiver of the message where they would be. In this case, Gotham."

Robin narrowed his eyes at the fidgety mercenary. "And, what business would this person have in Gotham?"

"Look, there's a sort of unofficial rule amongst mercenaries and assassins. You just don't target a fellow mercenary or assassin. It's too dangerous. Because there will always be someone else who will come after you even if you carry out the hit, be it associate, rival, or enemy." Drake trailed off.

"And this person is coming after Lady Shiva?"

"My associate thinks I'm dead."

"And what are you trying to achieve, going to Gotham? To warn your associate not to fight Lady Shiva?"

"It's not my associate I'm worried about." Drake rubbed his forehead in agitation. "Look, Robin, imagine how much damage Lady Shiva could inflict on Gotham." Robin nodded soberly. "Now imagine a Lady Shiva who frequently uses weapons like explosives, knives, guns, and poison. And, on top of that, that person thinks I'm dead."

Superboy, Wonder Girl, and Red Tornado exchanged nervous glances. "That person could single-handedly destroy Gotham. And he'd do it without a second thought."

Robin sighed. "Alright, I'll contact Batman."

* * *

><p>"I don't get it." Batman heard Nightwing saying to Robin. "How did Drake's 'associate' find out Lady Shiva was in Gotham, in the first place?" The comm link buzzed in their ears.<p>

_"He's... sort of like Batman. He just knows things and he doesn't bother telling how, or why, he does."_ Drake told them from the clock tower where he was waiting with Oracle.

"Is your associate the 'Custodian' character you talked about before?" Batman asked, there was a brief silence on the other end.

_"Yes. He goes by the name 'Logan'."_ Drake replied.

"That makes alot of difference." Batman grumbled.

"How so?" Nightwing asked curiously. "And who is this 'Custodian'?"

Batman was silent, deciding that it was best for Nightwing, Robin, and Oracle to hear it from Drake himself. _"Logan's my not-really-Dad."_ Drake responded slowly, cautiously. _"He raised me, and trained me, so if you think I made a mess in Gotham when I first came around..."_ Drake let the threat hang.

"And he thinks you're dead." Robin chimed in almost despairingly. "Why can't you just send him back a mail telling him you're alive?"

_"We don't really have good memories with that course of action."_ Drake replied sourly. _"Some guy kidnapped me for information once, and hacked my computer to continue sending Logan messages so that he wouldn't sense that anything was wrong."_

"And what happened?" Nightwing asked anxiously.

_"Didn't fool him for a second. Naturally, I had already escaped by the time Logan came around for a house-call, never saw my kidnapper again. Logan beat him half to death and now he's on death row, for what crime, I don't know."_ Nightwing gulped.

"Wow, that's a bit overboard, don't you think?"

_"Yeah, tell that to him, would you?"_ Drake challenged.

"Nah, I'm not suicidal."

Oracle finally joined in the conversation. _"I've got several alarms going off in a hotel across the neighborhood from you. Boys, I think it's time to make your entrance."_

_"Please, if they're fighting, don't get involved."_ Drake's voice pleaded through their earpiece.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The hotel was in shambles by the time the three Bats got there. Black smoke billowed out of the second and third floor windows, the window panes were shattered, the sprinklers in the hall had been set off, and a waterpipe had been ripped out of a wall. Robin ignored the alarm's frantic screams. "I think you were right the first time, Nightwing." he muttered. "_Way_ overboard."

Batman moved to the room with the most damage and neared the bed, grabbing a charred passport from the bedside shelf. "Lady Shiva was here." he murmured, looking around. Lady Shiva and Logan were nowhere in sight.

Then another explosion from down the road distracted them. They could all hear Drake groaning something about firecrackers in the background. The three pulled out their grapple guns and the chase was on.

They followed the obvious trail of destruction for several long minutes before they finally caught sight of Lady Shiva and her opponent. That was the moment Logan climbed on a roof and threw a hand grenade. "What is with this guy and explosives!" Robin groaned.

"Just came back from Afghanistan, sorry." Drake apologized sheepishly. Then Logan noticed them for the first time.

"Good God! What the Hell is that!" Logan near screeched in horror. He was distracted just long enough for Lady Shiva to throw him straight into a wall. He bounced back a second later, seemingly unaffected. He still gaped at the three costumed vigilantes as he fended himself off from the assassin.

Logan tried to make sense of the three strange men in the distance. He plunged a fist into Lady Shiva's abdomen with a resounding 'crack' from the lower ribs and took a moment for himself. Nope, still didn't get them. "No, really, who the Hell are you people!"

Robin touched a hand to his ear and Logan noticed an earpiece. Then Robin pulled out the device and tossed it at Logan. Logan caught it with an artistic flair and checked the device for foul-play before sticking it in his ear. _"Logan, what have I told you about your firecrackers?"_ Logan jumped a distance away from Lady Shiva, a gun at the ready.

"...Kid?" He pointed the weapon at his quick opponent and emptied his clip.

_"No, your fucking conscience. Of course it's me!"_ Drake spat in his ear above the noise.

"Hm, I thought you were dead." Logan smirked, but Batman could see the clear relief in his eyes.

_"Well, if you're surprised, then I'm a poodle."_

"Quite right, I'm still in the middle of a fight, mind, talk later?" Logan tossed his empty clip away from himself and replaced the magazine.

_"No way. Why do you sound happy, for some reason? You haven't been drinking before this, have you?"_ It was more of a resigned statement than a suspicious inquiry.

"Boy, you know my reflexes only get better with the drink." Logan chuckled and took aim again, running for shelter when Lady Shiva lunged in too close for comfort.

_"That's what I'm worried about."_ Drake grumbled.

"Right, say, Ginny's been worried. Said she hasn't heard of you since you ran off to find Malak." There was silence on the other end but everybody knew Drake was most likely rolling his eyes.

_"I wasn't exactly in the position to get back."_ Lady Shiva really did get through his defense now, she threw him off the roof. Logan landed hard on another roof just a floor lower in height and rolled with the fall as the breath was knocked out of him.

"Why not?" He gasped.

_"Well, if you haven't noticed, I have a psychotic she-assassin out for my blood! Besides, I'm not the only one who disappeared off the face of the earth, mind! How was Nepal, by the way?"_ Drake's tone was purposefully cutting.

"Great fun! Scraping frozen blood off the Himalayas and stuff. But you already knew I was in Afghanistan the whole while, didn't you?" Logan sounded sheepish. He rolled himself to the side as Lady Shiva rained down on him, sword glistening.

_"Course I knew."_ Drake spat. _"Just wait till Ginny hears it! She'll have you sleeping on the couch for a month... after you get back!"_ Logan blocked Lady Shiva's next blows with a firm wooden plank.

He laughed. "Now Drake, don't be cruel!" he admonished. "Hey, I heard you had a job offer from Ra's al Ghul? Seems he was quite taken by you!" Everybody heard Drake grumbling and mumbling incoherently under his breath. "He says he's got a soft spot for brilliant people like you!" Logan laughed again, with more mirth, this time.

_"Pity."_ Drake's words dripped with sarcasm. _"I hate working for people with... 'soft spots'."_ Logan nodded and threw his makeshift wooden shield at Lady Shiva, distracting her long enough to find himself a weapon.

"Thought so." He picked up a laundry pole. "Um, entirely off subject here, but who are those people in masks?" Drake chortled from his earpiece.

_"That's Batman, Nightwing, and Robin. They're vigilantes. I work for Batman sometimes. Interesting fellows."_ Lady Shiva cleanly sliced Logan's pole in half, leaving him with two shorter weapons. And that suited Logan just fine.

"Well! They're a friendly bunch, arn't they? I just love talkative people." He hummed, moving to the offence, striking with a lightning speed. "They're not psychos, are they?"

_"I work for a lot of psychotic people, Logan."_ Drake reminded him sweetly, Logan nodded sarcastically a moment before Lady Shiva ducked under his swing and glided under his defense like a venomous snake. She caught Logan in the ribs, breaking bone and near crushing organs. Logan choked on his breath. _"Logan?"_

Logan stumbled backward and his foot caught on a discarded brick, toppling him. "Hey Kid, where are you? Think we could go for some coffee, or something before we both go off running across the globe again? Haven't seen you in ages!" He smiled still, even in his situation.

Drake was crouched precariously on a ledge of the clock tower, the butt of a sniper cradled snugly against his cheek as he observed the fight through his scope. _"But I see you."_ His eyes narrowed and his finger tightened around the trigger.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Lady Shiva's body jerked, pivoting on one leg before falling off the roof and to the ground with a sickening 'crunch'. Logan peered over the edge of the roof and winced at the sight. "Ooh, she's dead." he rasped out grimly, massaging his bruised organs. He turned to narrow his eyes at the clock tower in the far distance. "But damn! You're a good shot! I should hire you more often!" He smirked.

_"Logan, if I was down there with you, I'd be defiantly giving you the finger."_ Logan laughed at his protege's heated response.

"Where should I send the fee?" He asked almost fondly, pressing the earpiece lightly as if hoping to diminish the distance between both speakers that way.

_"...Home."_ The word was spoken with a reverence, like it was a thing of fantasy. Drake put his gun down and sat cross-legged on his perch.

"Home, huh? How 'bout that? Christmas at home? Presents under the tree, extravagant dinner, stockings, carols? Do you know any?"

_"I seem to remember hearing White Christmas on repeat in the car from the Gotham airport."_

There was a brief silence, then... "I'm going to be in the middle of a desert taking care of a special genetically engineered virus for Christmas, you?"

_"New York, taking down a drug cartel. Christmas holds bad memories, anyway."_ Drake could hear the reluctance in his own voice and mentally slapped himself.

"Gotta apologize to Ginny when we get back, gotta be a two-man team or she'd crush us."

_"Like a grape."_

"See you at Valentine's, then?"

_"She loves Valentine's."_

"Coordinated attack?"

_"Tell me the plan when the time comes."_

Again, the silence crept on them. "Ginny loves Christmas, we're going to have to give in one day, you know that right?"

_"We will, won't we?"_ Drake groaned, but it sounded a lot less reluctant that it was meant to.

"Sometime." Logan sighed. "Merry Christmas, anyway."

_"Merry Christmas to you too."_

"Send me a better Father's Day present next year!"

_"What's wrong with a bomb and a bottle of straight vodka?"_ Drake asked innocently. _"Fine, I'll send you a card 'For the father I see an average of twice a year'."_

"Oi! You could pick up the proverbial phone sometimes too!"

_"It's broken, I need to fix it."_

"Excuses, excuses, you always take Ginny's calls!"

_"Ginny has better timing than you do."_

"Right, right. You know, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a plane to catch."

_"Yeah, I know. Just leave the earpiece with the Bats."_

Logan pulled the comm link out of his ear and staggered toward the three watchful vigilantes, he tossed the earpiece back to Robin. "Nice meeting you... I think." He smiled, a little unsurely. "Keep an eye on Drake for me." The smile crept further across his face. "See you, then."

He jumped off the roof and landed next to Lady Shiva's motionless body. He turned her onto her back and picked her up, placing her carefully in the back of a parked car before driving off.

"Hey." Nightwing broke the new silence. "Is it alright to let them leave?"

Batman nodded firmly. "Logan works for Ra's al Ghul and has access to his Pits. Besides, I think Lady Shiva will find Logan a better sparring partner than Drake."

_"Batman."_ It was Oracle who spoke through the comm link. _"Drake's disappeared. He left for the sniper shot and never came back. Should I...?"_

"It's alright." Batman interrupted her. "It's fine."

* * *

><p>"So? Who's Ginny?" Drake started at Superboy's sudden question. He stopped packing his belongings from the Young Justice infirmary to look at the superhero.<p>

"Who is Ginny?" he asked back innocently. Superboy 'pshaw'ed.

"Is she your girlfriend? Is she pretty?" he teased, Drake rolled his eyes, stuffing the last of his personal effects into his bag.

"She's taken, that's what she is." Wonder Girl took that moment to glide in.

"Who's taken?"

"My not-really-Mom." Drake grinned cheekily at Superboy's expression. "And she's smoking hot!"

Impulse sped in, eyes wide like a puppy who just had his favorite toy taken away. "Robin said you're leaving!" he wailed. "Are you?"

Drake ruffled the speedster's fluffy hair. "Sorry Imp." Impulse's shoulders sagged and he pouted. "Tell you what, I'll stop by sometimes, between jobs?" He sent a questioning glance to Superboy and Wonder Girl, silently asking for their permission.

The two superheroes looked moments away from refusing, out of caution, but melted at Impulse's pleading look. "Alright, just don't cause trouble!" Wonder Girl relented, Superboy nodded his assent.

"Right, see you, then!" Drake smiled and left the building.

Oliver Queen was waiting outside for him, to drive him to the airport. The archer twisted in his seat to look at the covert operative the back seat. "So, where have I met you before?"

Drake rolled his eyes and groaned in exasperation. "You're still going on about that!"


End file.
